Easy Pad Thai Noodles Recipe

Total: 40 mins
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Yield: 2 to 3 servings

199 ratings

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
908	Calories
46g	Fat
65g	Carbs
63g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3 servings
Amount per serving
Calories	908
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g	59%
Saturated Fat 9g	45%
Cholesterol 228mg	76%
Sodium 2040mg	89%
Total Carbohydrate 65g	24%
Dietary Fiber 5g	18%
Protein 63g
Calcium 203mg	16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for pad thai noodles with chicken and shrimp is authentic and simple enough for any aspiring Thai cook to make. The pad thai sauce is easier to create than the more-common tamarind-based variety. (In fact, the original pad thai didn't contain tamarind at all.) If you live in a place where Asian ingredients are difficult to find, then this tamarind-free recipe might be perfect for you.

2:16

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For the Pad Thai
1 boneless chicken breast (or 1 to 2 boneless thighs, chopped into small pieces)
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
8 ounces pad thai rice noodles (or enough for 2 people)
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 to 2 fresh red chilies (or green chilies, finely sliced)
1 teaspoon grated galangal (or ginger)
10 to 15 medium-sized raw shrimp (shells removed)
1 egg
2 cups bean sprouts
4 green onions (sliced)
1 lime (cut into wedges, for serving)
1/3 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts (chopped)
For the Pad Thai Sauce
1/3 cup good-quality chicken stock
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Gather ingredients.

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Combine pad thai sauce ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve sugar. Set aside.

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Place chopped chicken in a bowl and toss with soy sauce. Set aside.

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Bring a large pot of water to boil. Dunk in rice noodles and cook approximately 6 minutes, or until soft enough to bend easily but still firm and a little crunchy when you try to eat it (undercooked by regular standards). Drain and rinse noodles briefly with cold water to keep from sticking. Set aside.

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Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in oil and swirl around, then add the garlic, chili, and galangal. Stir-fry 1 minute.

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Add chicken and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, continuing to stir-fry until they turn pink and chicken is opaque—about 2 to 3 minutes.

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When pan becomes dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pad thai sauce—just enough to keep ingredients frying nicely.

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Push ingredients to the side of the pan (if the pan is dry, drizzle in a little oil). Crack the egg into the center and stir-fry quickly to scramble.
Add noodles, plus 3 to 4 tablespoons of the pad thai sauce. Using two utensils, lift and turn the noodles with the other ingredients. Continue in this way, adding more sauce every minute or two, until all has been added and noodles are chewy and a little bit sticky, 8 to 10 minutes.

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Fold in bean sprouts and green onion. Remove from heat and taste-test, adding more fish sauce until desired taste is achieved.

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Portion out onto individual plates and add a lime wedge on the side. Top with a small heap of chopped nuts.

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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variation
- For a gluten-free version, use wheat-free soy sauce.
About This Pad Thai Sauce

Although today we associate pad thai sauce with tamarind, in this authentic southern-Thai recipe, the sourness comes instead from a combination of rice vinegar and lime juice. Several hundred years ago, traditional pad thai was made in just this way—without tamarind—and versions of this original recipe can still be found in various regions of Thailand.